Fingerprint record and method of



NOV. 12, 1935. F 5 cH 2,020,376

FINGERPRINT RECORD AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Original Filed Feb. 19, 1930 QLQUUUUDU- Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES FINGERPRINT RECORD AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Frank S. Rich, Los Angeles, Calif. Continuation of application Serial No. 429,637,

February 19, 1930. This application March 16, 1933, Serial No. 660,983

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a fingerprint record and method of making the same.

It is. an object of this invention toprovide means for permanently recording fingerprints and the like by temporarily softening and rendering plastic cellulose material such as nitrocellulose or cellulose acetate upon which the fingerprint record is made. In particular, my invention contemplates the use of photographic or cinematographic films of the cellulosematerials mentioned. Such fingerprint records may be used as identification records which may be quickly and easily enlarged by projecting them upon a screen for study and comparison.

My invention consists of the construction and arrangement of parts of the fingerprint record and the method of making the same as hereinafter described and claimed.

The present is a continuing application for my application for Fingerprint record and method of making the same, Serial No. 429,637, filed February 19, 1930.

In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, and in Which Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing a section of ciniematographic film bearing the fingerprint rec or V Fig. 2 is. a transverse section of the film showing the application of a solvent to render the top surface temporarily plastic;

Fig. 3 is a similar view indicating the plastic condition of the top surface of the film;

Fig. 4 shows the manner of taking the imprint of a finger upon the plastic portion of the film.

Fig. 5 shows a modified method in which the solvent is applied to a finger.

Referring to the drawing, l indicates a section of an ordinary cinematographic film consisting of either nitrocellulose or cellulose acetate and without any emulsion coating thereon. A small quantity of a powerful solvent S for cellulose ester material is applied to the upper surface I of the film in any preferred manner. Any of the socalled compound solvents having the property of softening or dissolving'cellulose esters may be used for this purpose. Practically all the cements now in use for splicing cinematographic films have this property but I prefer a solvent consisting of Benzaldehyde 5 parts Glacial acetic acid 1 part by volume to which preferably a minute quantity of an essential o'il serving as a perfume or to mask the odor, such as oil of lavender or spearmint or nutmeg has been added.

,Another solvent may be used compounded of Benzaldehyde 5 parts 5 Alcohol 1 part Carbon tetrachloride 1 part by volume The solvent S will soften the side i of the film and render the top portion thereof I plastic for 10 the reception of the imprint of a finger F. On removal of the finger F the plastic material will show the convolutions C of the surface of the finger sharply defined. In a very short time the solvent S in the plastic portion I of the film will 15 evaporate, leaving the fingerprint as a permanent record.

It is the intention of making a great number of such records on a roll of film, consecutively numbered, the number N of each record correspond- 20 ing to'a number of a document requiring identification of a person, such for instance as accident policies sold in a vending machine.

The method just described shows the principle involved in making the fingerprint- However, I 25 prefer to modify the method especially when used in connection with the sale of accident policies by means of vending machine. The modified method is illustrated in Fig. 5. The solvent is applied to the finger by spraying or any other 30 preferred manner and the finger thus moistened is pressed firmly against the cellulose ester film and held there for a few seconds. The solvent will soften and render plastic the surface I of the film which receives the impression of the 5 finger in sharp outlines and which will on the removal of the finger quickly harden, thus leaving a permanent record. Of course, the modified method just described may be used whenever desired.

An advantage of taking finger records in this manner is that it avoids the soiling of the fingers with ink or the like. The only moisture coming in contact with the finger is the solvent, which solvent, however, instantly evaporates and which is not disagreeable because of its odor. It is obvious that such a record may be thrown on a projection screen greatly enlarged in the same 'manner as a cinematographic film, for study and comparison. However, While it is preferred to make a record on a transparent film, the record may be made if desired on an-opaque film;

' Various changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts and the steps of the method of making the same may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A method of making an identification record, comprising impressing upon a plastic film a body member and causing said film to harden.

2. A method of making an identification record, comprising impressing upon a hard film having a plastic surface a body member and causing said plastic surface to harden.

3. A method of making an identification rec- 0rd, comprising applying a solvent consisting Ventirely of volatile liquids on one side of a cellulose ester film to render said side plastic and impressing upon said plastic side a body member, and causing said plastic portion to harden.

4. An identification record, comprising a film made of cellulose ester having a body member mechanicallyimpressed on one side thereof.

5. An identification record made of a transface thereof and to receive the imprint of the body member, removing the body member and allowing the solvent to evaporate.

7; The process of producing fingerprints comprising coating the finger surface with a solvent,

impressing said finger surface upon a celluloid,

surface to permit the solvent to act upon the celluloid, and subsequently allowing the solvent to evaporate.

FRANK S. RICH. 2o 

